The problem of theft and authorized or unlawful removal of electronic equipment from the premises on which such equipment resides has been a problem for many years. Electronic equipment provides an attractive target for theft because of the relative ease with which such equipment is transported, as well as the relatively high resale value of such equipment on the black market. This problem has been exacerbated in recent years by a reduction in size and miniaturization of such equipment. Equipment such as laptop or notebook computers, portable printers, portable scanners, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), cellular telephones, Global Positioning System Receivers (“GPS Units”), and other types of expensive equipment designed for portability are all highly susceptible to unlawful removal if not properly secured. Further, the information stored on such devices may be proprietary or confidential in nature, and may have a value which is equal to or greater than the device itself. If such information, for example plans for a company's new, unannounced product in which a considerable investment has been made, were to fall into the hands of a competitor, the loss of such information could far exceed the value of the equipment. Further, the nature of contemporary work environments is often that of a temporary workspace provided for mobile workers. It is difficult to easily secure equipment in such an environment as a given work area is assigned to a given worker on a temporary basis, and permanent installation of an apparatus to secure equipment may not, therefore, be practical. It is also often difficult to secure equipment when visiting a customer or client location while on a sales call or acting as a technical consultant, for example, when no permanent work area is assigned.
Most previous attempts to solve these types of problems have involved the use of cable locks that may be looped around a table, desk, or other type of furniture leg or member. However, this method of securing equipment may be easily defeated by lifting the furniture and/or sliding the cable lock around the end of the furniture leg or member. Further, such use of cable locks is often cumbersome, and frequently requires a user to climb under furniture while requesting assistance from another person to effect installation of the cable lock. These limitations have been addressed by permanently affixing secure mounting hardware, for example a metal eye or loop, to the furniture or a wall at a convenient location using either a fastener such as a screw, or an adhesive. A cable lock may then be passed through the secure mounting hardware, thereby providing an improved apparatus to prevent equipment from being removed. However, this apparatus also has limitations. It is not always desirable to attach fasteners such as screws to expensive furniture, as this typically involves drilling holes in the furniture. Further, tools required to attach such fasteners, such as a drill, drill bits, or a screwdriver, may not be readily available. Adhesives do not provide an ideal solution either, inasmuch as adhesives require a period of time to cure and harden before becoming effective, and even then may be easily defeated with a tool such as a chisel. Further, the use of adhesives may mar expensive furniture.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.